The government of Guangdong province is inviting domestic and overseas humanoid robots to compete in a basketball game to be held in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, in April next year.

Enterprises, universities, research institutions, innovation teams and other institutions across the world are welcome to bring their humanoid robots to the competition, said Yang Jun, deputy director of the department of science and technology of Guangdong.

The International Humanoid Robot Basketball Association, or RBA, will include competitive and performance matches, Yang said at a news conference in Guangzhou on Tuesday.

The competitive match is based on basic basketball skills such as dribbling, passing and shooting. Events in this category include free throw shooting, moving three-point shooting, human-machine coordinated passing, stationary dribbling endurance and a dribbling obstacle course with a layup.

With the basketball moving at high speed during the game, robots need to make judgments and act swiftly. The RBA hands a systematic exam paper to global humanoid robot developers, Yang said.

Some rules and technological requirements for the game will be upgraded, taking into account the input from the teams that have signed up, given the technological challenge in such a competition and the rapid development of humanoid robot technology. The full handbook for the game will be issued at the second news conference for the event.

The RBA is intended to deepen synergized innovation among industrial, academic and research sectors. It is also meant to promote international exchange and cooperation in technology, facilitate breakthroughs in robotic technology and expand the application scenarios for robotic and artificial intelligence technologies, Yang said.

A training ground designed like the actual venue will be provided free of charge three months before the competition. Participating teams will also receive support in their common need for hardware and software resources, said Chen Chuxiang, director of Guangdong's productivity center.

Guangdong has led the country in innovation capacity for nine consecutive years.

Guangdong-made industrial robots and service robots account for more than 40 percent and 80 percent of the national total, respectively. The provincial production of humanoid robots is estimated to grab one-third share of the country's total this year, said Zou Yongbing, chief economist of the province's department of industry and information technology.

More than 2,000 humanoid robots are working in manufacturing enterprises in Guangdong and the number is expected to surpass 3,000 by the end of this year, Zou said.

Contests in embodied intelligence applications have been organized in Guangzhou, with scenarios including logistics, cosmetic product manufacturing, retail venue service, hospital ward patrol and printing. The Metro, public parks, medical institutions and elderly care providers, among others, are encouraged to use robots through leasing or service outsourcing, he said.

Colleges and universities in Guangdong are encouraged to integrate the RBA with their talent cultivation, development of disciplines and curriculum reform to advance education and innovation, said Chen Donghai, a second-level inspector of the department of education of Guangdong.